AQo meets resistance - How would you play it

[ktg2469]

A LPP might limp with a wide range of hands. The best you could possibly hope for here is you are up against A9 or AQ. I don't see (unless someone really liked QJ of spades) you being ahead or drawing to a hand that will win a showdown.

I would be surprised if you are not shown AK here. The best thing going for you is that A of spades. The pot is pretty small, so unless I'm positive that someone would raise a draw here, I fold.

[sbu97]

The play here is either fold or raise. A raise will help you gain more information, but I think this is a dangerous hand and I'd throw it away. You have a limper in early position (could have limped in w/AA, KK, or 99 some players do that a lot, especially micro limit), then you raise, and the CO is still around. The blind also called pre flop and bet into a raiser and 2 callers. And LPP raises! Top pair is nice, but not so nice against three other opponents.

[wrto4556]

You have to be good here 1 in 3 times. You have a BD flush and straigt draw, which adds a little to the hand. I don't think cold calling is bad, but I fold the turn UI against aggression.

[NAU_Player]

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I think the CO behind you who cold-called your raise is a factor too.

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Fair enough. CO is 42/9.52/1.36 after 42 hands

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A raise will help you gain more information

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If you raise and it's capped behind, this is true. However, against passive opponents you can usually expect them to just call unless they have the absolute nuts. Meaning you are still worried that you are behind, and down 3SB

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You have to be good here 1 in 3 times. You have a BD flush and straigt draw, which adds a little to the hand. I don't think cold calling is bad, but I fold the turn UI against aggression.

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BD 2gap: .5 outs BD flush: 1.5 outs = 2 outs
Assuming that you are behind right now, is this the right place to cold call?

-Tim

[wrto4556]

It matters what you're behind to. A9 you have Q, K9 you have Q and A, but 99 you're drawing near dead...same with AK. It's probably best to fold, but this situation comes up so infrequently that peeling one off wont be bad. You're hand may be good, the action on the turn will tell you, and that gives a little more cushion to cold calling.

PS. Folding is probably better, but cold calling isn't that bad as long as you know when to dump on the turn.

[Nick C]

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But I'd probably cold-call and see what happened next.


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Could you give some reasoning for this? i.e. opponent's range of hands, your chances to draw to 2pair or better, etc? (not being sarcastic, just want to know your thought process so that you can understand the play better)

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My thinking was that BB could have a worse (or equal) ace, and actually UTG+1 could as well. Also, I'm not ruling out something like J [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] T [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] for either player. However, I do think you're probably behind at least one of your opponents, especially given their stats. And if you are behind, about the best you can hope for is that you're up against something like K9o and A6s, or that both of your opponents have K9. AK and a set are both concerns, though, so if you knew for certain you were behind (but didn't know to what), I think getting out would be sensible, especially since you're not closing the action.

It's the chance that you're not really behind (along with your backdoor flush and weak backdoor straight) that makes me tempted to call. I don't think you're going to encounter a 3-bet from CO very often (in fact, I'm kind of expecting him to fold), and UTG+1's raise could slow down BB. (And if it doesn't, then the situation is starting to look pretty bleak.)

Anyway, I think folding might really be best. I don't lay down AQ on the flop when I hit my ace all that often, though, so I would probably call. The reason I don't want to raise is that I do think I'm probably behind, and I'd rather not pay any more than I have to to see the turn. I have my doubts about anyone folding a hand to a 3-bet that you'd like for them to anyway.

It is an uncomfortable situation and a difficult hand. I'm not sure what's best on the flop, really.

[Buckmulligan]

I think I call here and raise on a safe turn (no spade). If it's 2 cold on the turn, i'm folding regardless.

Folding this flop is way too weak IMO. THe raise into you feels like a draw more than a better hand. The innitial bet could be AJ.